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Destroyed Russian vehicles in the Ukrainian city of Izyum, Kharkiv Oblast
Photo:
ZOHRA BENSEMRA / REUTERS
What has happened in the past few hours
After the end of the sham referendums in four Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions, criticism from the international community has been high.
The United Nations again denied the legitimacy of the sham referendums on Tuesday.
"They cannot be described as a genuine expression of the will of the people," said UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo at a UN Security Council meeting.
These unilateral Russian actions are said to be incompatible with international law and are aimed at “giving a semblance of legitimacy to the forcible appropriation by a state of the territory of another state.”
Since Friday, mock referendums have been held in Ukraine in the four Russian-occupied areas of Cherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhia about joining Russia.
Upon completion, the Russian occupiers presented an allegedly overwhelming approval of the local population for annexation to Russia.
In a next step, it is expected that the occupation administrations deployed by Moscow will officially apply to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin for admission to Russian territory.
“The results are clear.
Welcome home, in Russia,” said Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council and an ally of Putin.
According to its UN ambassador, Russia is also assuming that there will be further referendums in Ukraine.
"This process will continue if Kyiv does not recognize its mistakes and strategic lapses and does not allow itself to be guided by the interests of its own people" and instead blindly carries out the will of those who manipulate it: Vasily Nebensia said this at the session of the UN Security Council.
The American ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, then said that she had no doubts that Russia would hold mock referendums again.
After all, Moscow would have done the same in 2014 in Crimea and most recently in eastern Ukraine.
The diplomat also announced that the US wants to introduce a UN resolution "in which we condemn these sham referendums, call on member states not to recognize a changed status of Ukraine and oblige Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine".
A vote in the Security Council is almost certain to fail due to Russia's veto.
However, it could allow conclusions to be drawn about the degree of Russia's isolation.
That says Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
The veto power of Russia had made no attempt to prevent his speech.
Zelenskyy called on the international community to take decisive action against a possible imminent annexation of parts of his country by Russia.
Referring to Putin, he said in a video address to the Security Council: “Annexion is the kind of action that puts him alone against all of humanity.
A clear signal is now needed from every country in the world.” Any illegal annexation is a crime against all states.
Zelenskyj also warned against the destruction of international diplomacy by Russia.
Moscow's representatives did not use weapons in the UN Security Council.
"But it will certainly not come as a surprise to anyone if this role of the UN Security Council turns into a zone of violence on the part of Russian representatives." It is only a matter of time before Moscow destroys the last functioning international institution, he said.
The mock referendums were also a topic in Zelenskyj's daily video address.
"This farce in the occupied territories cannot even be described as an imitation of referendums," he said.
»We move forward and liberate our country!«
International Reactions
Following her election victory in Italy,
Giorgia Meloni
pledged full support to Ukraine, even under a new government she is leading.
The party leader of the right-wing Fratelli d'Italia and likely future head of government in Rome wrote to Selenskyj on Twitter on Tuesday evening: "You know that you can count on our loyal support for the cause of the freedom of the Ukrainian people.
Stay strong and keep the faith.«
Previously, Zelenskyy had tweeted Meloni congratulations on the election success and thanked the Italians for their help after the Russian attack.
Chancellor
Olaf Scholz
spoke about Putin in a newspaper interview.
Referring to the mobilization of Russian reservists, he said: "Putin is making mistakes after mistakes." The Russian president "could end this war immediately by withdrawing his troops and then starting talks with Kyiv."
You can find out more about Scholz's most recent statements here.
The
Taliban say
they have signed a preliminary trade agreement with Russia.
It is about diversifying business partners, and Russia has offered the Taliban government a discount on average world market prices for raw materials.
Afghan Trade and Industry Minister Hajji Nuruddin Asisi said.
Russia is now supposed to deliver around one million tons of gasoline, one million tons of diesel, 500,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and two million tons of wheat to Afghanistan every year.
The move is the first known major international economic deal the Taliban have struck since they returned to power about a year ago.
No country recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
But Moscow met with leaders of the movement ahead of the fall of Kabul, and its embassy is one of the few still open in the Afghan capital.
The
US
is reportedly preparing a new weapons package worth $1.1 billion for Ukraine's fight against Russia.
The package will be announced in the coming days, the Reuters news agency reported.
She referred to US government officials familiar with the matter, who declined to be named.
what is happening today
From 1 p.m., the Bundestag will deal, among other things, with German arms deliveries to Ukraine.
In an application, the Union faction calls for deliveries “to be immediately and noticeably intensified in terms of quantity and quality”.
For example, "armored weapon systems" from Bundeswehr stocks were to be handed over.
In addition, a decision should be made quickly on offers from the defense industry for the delivery of armored personnel carriers and battle tanks.
The application will be voted on by name.
The heads of government of the federal states will meet in Berlin from 12.45 p.m. for a special conference.
The topic of the Prime Ministers' Conference (MPK) is the planned third relief package against the consequences of the energy crisis.
Contrary to what was originally planned, there will be no federal-state talks with Olaf Scholz afterwards.
The Chancellor had asked him to postpone these consultations until October 4th, the MPK chairman, North Rhine-Westphalia's head of government Hendrik Wüst (CDU), surprisingly announced on Tuesday.
aar/dpa/Reuters
